KINGSTON - World 100 metres record holder Usain Bolt defeated his closest rival Asafa Powell to qualify for the Beijing Olympics on Saturday.

Jamaica's Asafa Powell (L) congratulates world record holder Jamaica's Usain Bolt after Bolt won their men's 100 meters final race during the Jamaican athletics national championship in Kingston June 28, 2008. [Agencies]

In the clash of the world's two fastest men, Bolt ran 9.85 to finish first in Jamaica's Olympic trials, while Powell, the former record holder, clocked 9.97 seconds.

Michael Frater secured the third berth on the team for Beijing with his run of 10.04 seconds.

Bolt took the world record from Powell last month when he lowered the mark to 9.72 at the Reebok Grand Prix in New York.